2011 House Bill 48, (Relating to government registering citizens to vote)

From www.HawaiiVotes.org

· Introduced by Rep. Karl Rhoads (D) on January 20, 2011, to require that all applicants for driver's licenses or state identification cards, if determined to be eligible, be automatically registered to vote.

HB48 wants to take the responsibility of registering to vote out of the hands of the individual and make it automatic and a mandatory requirement for anyone who applies for a driver’s license or state identification card. The bill says that every qualified applicant “is required to authorize the attorney general to collect and transmit the necessary personal information required for registering the qualified applicant with the county clerk.”

The bill fails to give any option to not be registered for someone who perhaps isn’t interested in voting, but does want to drive, or have a state ID card.

In the United States, isn’t it still the responsibility of the individual to register to vote? Maybe the legislators who heard HB48 in the Transportation committee on Monday, Jan. 31, 2011, thought about that as they recommended that the bill be deferred. But being deferred doesn’t always mean a bill is dead. This is one bill to keep an eye on. (Also, watch for the companion bill, Senate Bill 1111, which hasn’t had a hearing yet, but still may be scheduled.)

See the status of HB48 here:  http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2011/lists/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=48

See the status of SB1111 here:  http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2011/lists/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=1111

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